Air conditioning systems



May 1, 1962 R. A. CHURCH 3,032,323

AIR counrrzoumc S-YSTEMS Filed Dec. 3, 1956 s Sheets-Sheet 1 COOLER 28FIG. I

I? INVENTOR.

RICHARD A. CHURCH ATTORNEY.

May 1, 1962 R. A. CHURCH AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledDec. 3, 1956 INVENTOR.

RICHARD A. CHURCH.

' ATTORNEY.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 3, 1956 FIG. 4

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1 lol FIG. 5

INVENTOR. RICHARD A. CHURCH.

ATTORNEY.

United. States Patent 3,032,323 AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS Richard A.Church, North Syracuse, N.Y., assignor to Carrier Corporation, Syracuse,N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 3, 1956, Ser. No. 625,956 12Claims. (Cl. 257-313) This invention relates to air conditioning systemsand more particularly to improved air conditioning systems which mayutilize units of the induction type in a manner whereby two spaceshaving specific requirements may be comfort conditioned at a costgreatly reduced over other systems which normally require a plurality ofunits to supply the same requirements. This invention also relates to amethod of air conditioning a plurality of spaces in an economical mannerwhereby the temperature condition of one space is utilized to conditionone or more other spaces.

In Carrier Patent No. 2,363,294, granted November 21, 1944 there isdisclosed an air conditioning system for multi-room buildings whichcontemplates a supply of conditioned air from a central station at highvelocity and static pressure through small conduits to units placed inrooms being conditioned. Each room unit includes a heat exchangerthrough which cold or hot water may be passed depending upon thetemperature conditions exteriorly of the building. The stream ofconditioned priing places a non-conditioned building structure of thistype in an extremely difficult competitive position for most tenants orguests prefer and are willing to pay a premium for air conditionedquarters. In order to render existing structures competitive, varioussolutions have been advanced such as the use of self-contained units andalso window air conditioning units. However, it has been found that suchunits are unsatisfactory since they do not perform adequately and arenoisy and expensive to maintain in use. Central station systems appearto be the most practicable means for solving the problem of airconditioning existing building structures so that they can compete withnew structures of the same type. In many cases, unfortunately, space,cost and construction considerations make such a solution impracticable.

The Ashley patent application, Serial Number 559,061, filed January 13,1956 discloses an improved system wherein the number of conduits andwater lines to the various induction units in the system are minimized.is believed a system of this type has made a great stride towarddecreasing the installation difiiculties and costs of this type ofsystem. It will be appreciated that certain types of structures haveunique problems which require methods of approach not suggested by theCarrier patent nor the Ashley application. A building of this type isthe building constructed during the 20s and early 30s which has ageneral H cross section. In this type of building, the occupants use thefour wings and the connecting section of the H is utilized for servicefacilities such as elevators, water lines, et cetera.

In providing a building of this type with air conditioning the variousducts and water lines are passed up through the service area of the Hshape building and then spread out into the various wings of thebuilding.

3,032,323 Patented May 1, 1962 "ice The problem with such a buildingarises when it is considered that each wing of the building comprises acorridor having a double depth of rooms on either side of 'the corridorextending along the length of the wing. In

systems such as the Carrier and Ashley systems, no problem arises withconditioning the exterior zones of the building, however, the interiorrooms of such a building and also the corridor of the building provide asevere problem which is not readily solved. Normally to condition thecorridor and the interior rooms, further ductwork, water lines and agreater number of units are required. It will be immediately recognizedthat such added construction would be carried out at prohibitive costmaking the existing and older structure require rentals to support suchexpenditures far exceeding the cost of existing air conditionedbuildings.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide an airconditioning system of the induction type and also a method of airconditioning in which a single unit may be utilized to comfort conditionmore than one space.

An object of the invention is to provide an air conditioning system ofthe induction type adapted to supplement existing heating facilities inthe space to be comfort conditioned.

A further object is to provide an air conditioning system utilizing aninduction type unit in which a single unit may condition a plurality ofspaces in an economical manner whereby the temperature of the air in thefirst space is utilized'to condition the air in the other spaces.

A further object is to provide an air conditioning system whereby air isconditioned and passed from an in-' terior zone into an exterior zoneand wherein air from the exterior zone is passed from said zone andmixed with a source of primary air and passed into an interior zone tocomfort condition said zones.

A still further object is to provide a method of air con- 5 ditioningtwo spaces in which air from an interior zone is conditioned and mixedwith a source of primary air said mixture of air into an interior zoneto comfort condition said interior zone, whereby the temperature con-'dition of the exterior zone is effectively utilized to comfort conditionsaid interior zone. readily perceived from the following description.

This invention relates to an air conditioning system for multi-roombuilding structures which comprise a plurality of interior and exteriorzones. Air is passed from the interior zone and is conditioned by a heatexchange process with a conditioning medium; the air is then mixed witha source of primary air and passed into an exterior zone to comfortcondition this exterior zone. The air in the exterior zone is passedfrom said zone and mixed with a source of primary air and urged into theinterior zone to comfort said interior zone. The interior zone ismaintained at a slightly higher temperature than the exterior zone sothat the temperature of the air in said exterior zone will largelydetermine the conditioned result of the air within said interior zone.This system further utilizes means to control the air passing from theexterior space by controlling the heat exchange process of the airpassing from the interior zone to the exterior zone in heat exchangerelation with the conditioning medium.

This invention also relates to a method of comfort conditioningaplurality of interior and exterior zones in which air is passed from theinterior zone into heat exchange relation with a conditioning medium;mixing this conditioned air with a source of primary air and inducingthis mixture of conditioned and primary air into the exterior zone tocondition said zone and maintain said zone at a first temperature;passing the air from Other objects will be the exterior zone and mixingit with a source of primary air, passing said mixture of primary air andair of the exterior zone into the interior zone to comfort conditionsaid interior zone at a second temperature which is slightly higher.than the first temperature and also sensing the temperature of the airpassing from the exterior zone and controlling the heat exchange processbetween the conditioning medium and the air passing from the interiorzone to the exterior zone in response thereto.

The attached drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of theinvention, in which FIGURE 1 is a view partly diagrammatic, partlyperspective, illustrating the air conditioning system of the presentinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view illustrating the use of the present invention inan H cross-section building;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged plan view of a wing of the building shown inFIGURE 2 FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of an interior and exteriorzone air conditioned by the present invention; and

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional View of a modification of the system shownin FIGURE 4.

Referring to the drawings, in FIGURE 1 there is shown the airconditioning system of the present invention. This system comprisessuitable air conditioning apparatus placed in a central station 2, suchapparatus being contained in a casing 3. The apparatus may be disposedin any suitable place in the basement, on the roof, or in a storagespace of a building served thereby. A fan 4 is provided to draw airwithin casing 3, the air being conditioned in any desired manner duringits passage through casing 3, and then to discharge the conditioned airat relatively high static pressure and high velocity into a primary airconduit such as riser 5.

The air conditioning apparatus illustrated at 2 may be of any desiredtype and it is understood that the present invention is not limited withrespect to the apparatus illustrated. As illustrated, apparatus 2includes a; plurality of dampers 6' through which air is drawn intocasing 3 from the exterior of the building, a filter 7, a preheatingcoil 8 through which steam may be passed topreheat air drawn into casing3, sprays 9, a dehumidification or cooling coil 10 and a reheating coil11. In such apparatus, primary air is suitably conditioned in accordancewith the requirements of the areas to be conditioned.

Conditioned primary air is forced through. riser 5 by fan 4 to the,various wings of the building. structure beingconditioned. Theconditioned primary air is discharged at relatively highv velocity intoinduction units andserves to induce a constant flow of secondary airwithin the units from the areas being conditioned.

Heat exchange medium, such aswater, varied in temperature in accordancewith conditions existing exteriorly, of the building is supplied to theheat exchange members of the room units. A cooler 16 is provided formingpart of; a refrigeration system (not shown) to furnish cold water to theroom unit heat exchange members and to the cooling coil 10 of thecentral station apparatus 2. A pump 17 passes water through line 18 tocooler 16, water being cooled therein and supplied through line 19 andline 20 to cooling coil 10, -water returning to the pump from coolingcoil 10 through line 21 and 1ine.22.

Pump 17 also aids in supplying cold. water for the heat exchange membersof the induction units. The waterpasses through line 19 and line 26, a.three-way valve 27 being placed in line 26 for a purpose hereinafterdescribed, to secondary pump 28 which forwards the water through riserline 29 and run-out line 30 to the heat exchangemembers in the inductionunits. Water supplied to the. heat exchange members is returned throughreturn line 32, line 33, line 22, pump 17 and line, 18, to, cooler. 1-6.

During the heating season, when it is desired to supply hot water to theheat exchange members, threeway 'valve 27 is manipulated to close line26 and to open line 34 connecting heater 35 with pump 28. The heatedwater then passes from pump 28 through line 29 to the heat exchangemembers and returns to heater 35 through line 32 and 36. The heater 35may be the existing furnace in the building normally utilized to supplyheating medium to the existing heat exchangers in the various rooms ofthe biulding. During the heating season it will be remembered that theroom units provided by this system may supplement the heating facilitiesalready existing in the building.

Referring to FIGURE 1, there are shown in perspective three exteriorrooms 45, 46 and 47 and three in-, terior rooms 48, 49 and 50. Lyingbetween these rooms are the units 41, 42 and 43 which are operativelyconnected to the riser 5 and the water lines 29 and 32. It will be notedthat each of these units services an exterior and an interior room.

Referring to FIGURE 2 there is shown an H-shaped building which is thegeneral plan of buildings erected during the 20s and early 30s. This isthe type of building for which the present invention is particularlyadapted. This building comprises four wings 51, 52,. 53 and 54. Thesewings are normally occupied by guests or tenants and the central portion55 of the building is utilized for service facilities such as elevators,electrical, heating and water facilities. In applying the presentinvention, air conduits and water lines extend upwardly through thisarea.

Referring toFIGURE 3 there is shown an. enlarged plan view of a wing ofthis building. The riser 5 extends upwardly in the service area 55 and abranch line 57 extends therefrom. It will be noted that this particularwing consists of a central corridor 58 having a double depth of rooms oneither side thereof. Between each pair of interior and exterior rooms.there is located a suitable air conditioning unit, the details of whichvwill be described fully hereinafter. These units are placed in seriesand extend first down one side of the wing terminating at the end of thewing, passing over the corridor into the second side of the wing andterminating at the other side of the building. For example, units 41, 42and 43 service exterior zones 45, 46 and: 47 and interior zones 48, 49and 50. All these units are connected by the conduit 57 and attendantwater lines. The line of units terminates on the opposite side of thecorridor in the rooms 61 and 60, opposite the rooms 47 and 50 and thelast unit on the conduit 57 is the unit 59.

From FIGURES 2 and 3 it can be readily seen that an existing building ofthis particular cross-section can be readily conditioned by a minimumnumber of units and a minimum length of water and air lines since asingle line services a plurality of units and the units service morethan one space.

Referringto FIGURE 4 there is shown a sectional view in elevation of oneof the compartments illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3 employing the presentinvention. This figure indicates in section, the building in which thewall 71 is an exterior wall exposed to the outdoors and having a window72. The section is defined by ceiling 73 and a floor 74 and a partitionwhich divides the space into two rooms 75 and 76 with a door 77 havinglouvers 78 connecting the room 75 with the corridor 79. Located within.this space is a. unit 41 which is in communication with both rooms 75and 76.

This unit has located therein a suitable conduit 81 and further consistsof a casing which defines a first passage 82 and a second passage 83.These passagesform means of communication between the rooms 7'5 and- 76.The

spams directed into a passage formed by the partitions 89 and 92 whichform a suitable venturi. Originating from the conduit is a second set ofnozzles 93 which are located in the second passage 83 and are directedtoward the louvers 88.

A supply of conditioning medium is passed to the heat exchange memberthrough the line 95 and this supply is controlled by a suitable controlvalve 96 which is connected through the line 97 to a suitable sensingbulb 98 located in the second passage 83 adjacent the louvers 87.

As has been previously mentioned this type of installation is wellsuited for conversion installations in existing buildings. In FIGURE 4is will be noted that below the window 72 there is located a suitableradiator 99 which is a normal part of the heating system of the existingfacilities of the building. Normally during the cooling season the unit41 will be utilized alone to comfort condition the spaces 75 and 76.However, during the winter season when heating is required, it .ispossible that the heat exchanger 90 may not be adequate to supply thefull requirements of the spaces and will be mostly used for ventilationpurposes and the radiator 99 will carry out the heating function as itdid prior to the installation of the present air conditioning system.

Referring to FIGURE there isshown a modification of the unit illustratedin FIGURE 4. This unit 101 consists of a casing which is fitted aboutthe support member102 of the building and one end of which terminates inthe wall 103. This particular unit has two passages 104 and 105 whichhave suitable louvers 106, if desired. Located within the unit is a heatexchange member 110 similar to the one illustrated in FIGURE 4. Thisheat exchange member 110 is angularly disposed with respect to the airstream passing through the passage 104. L0- cated adjacent this heatexchange member is a circular plenum 111 which may be fabricated ofspiral conduit having suitable nozzles 112 and 113 extending therefrom.The nozzles 112 extend into the first passage 104 and the second set ofnozzles 1 13 extend into the passage 105. It will be noted that thepartition 114, which defines the passages 104 and 105, is offset toaccommodate the circular plenum. Downstream from the nozzles 112 is asuitable partition member 115 which is formed about the structuralmember 102 in such a manner as to form a venturi effect or ejecting airfrom the first passage into the exterior zone.

Similar controls as those utilized in the embodiment of FIGURE 4 may beemployed in this embodiment of the invention.

It will be noted that functionally the first and second embodiments aresimilar with the exception of the orientation of the partition membersdefining the first and second passages, the orientation of the heatexchange member and the cross-sectional shape of the plenum whichsupplies the primary air. The second embodiment furthermore providesmeans for accommodating a structural member without impeding the airflow Within the unit. 0

Considering the operation of the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 4,suitable louvers have been provided for the first and second passages inthe unit 41. The purpose of these members is to separate the incomingand outgoing air as they pass through the unit. Air is drawn from theroom 75 through the louvers 85. This air passes through the heatexchange member 90 which is supplied with cooling medium in amountsdetermined by the air passing through the second passage 83. This air isinduced into the first passage 82 by means of the primary air issuingfrom the nozzles 91 which extend from the sources of primary air withinthe plenum 81. This air is urged into the venturi created by the members92 and 89 and draws air from the second room and mixes therewith. Thismixture of primary air and secondary air is then injected into the firstroom 76 where it is diffused into the room. Air from the exterior space76 is drawn through the louvers 87, into the second passage 83. Thetemperature of the air passing through the second passage is sensed bythe bulb 98 which is connected by the line 97 to the control valve 96.This control valve regulates the amount of heat exchange medium suppliedto the heat exchange member 90 and controls thereby the temperature inthe rooms 76 and 75. The nozzle 93 located in the second passage urgesthe air to pass through the second passage and discharge the same intothe second room 75. This nozzle also provides a source of ventilat ingand conditioning air for space 75.

The present system envisions an arrangement wherein the exterior roomsnormally encounter a greater load than the interior rooms. Generally theexterior rooms are occupied by a number of people and are subjected togreater heat loads from within the rooms and also to exterior heatloads, and therefore require a greater cooling effort. The presentinvention contemplates that the exterior rooms will normally operate ata slightly lower temperature during the summer than the interior rooms.

M It will be immediately recognized that since the exterior room 76generally has the greater load the heat exchange member 90 has beenprovided to accommodate this load by being placed in the first passage.The interior room usually has a much lower load and the air passedthrough the second passage mixed with additional air from the primaryair supply will adequately handle the requirements of the interior room.It will be again noted that a temperature gradient exists between theinterior and exterior rooms. The exterior room will normally be at atemperature of, for example, 1 to 2 degrees lower than the temperatureof the interior room. This difierential will be sufficient to maintainthe temperature of the interior room because of the lesser load due tothe fewer people and lights therein and also to a great extent to theabsence of transmission losses through any of the walls. The air as itis discharged from the unit 41 through the louvers 8 8 diffuses into theroom 75. Air from this space is passed back into the unit by passingthrough the louvers of the first passage 82. A portion of the airintroduced into this room 75 may pass into the corridor through thelouvers 78 in the door 77.

The unit illustrated in FIGURE 5 functions in a similar manner and sucha unit may be more feasible in certain installations particularly wherea structural member is located in the partition between interior andexterior rooms. This modification is simple and economical since theplenum is fabricated of inexpensive spiral conduit. This particularembodiment may be controlled in a manner similar to that of FIGURE 4.

The present invention presents a solution to the problem of comfortconditioning existing installations of the type described so that twospaces are conditioned by a single unit, which is mounted above thefloor so as not to take up valuable floor space. The unit functions in amanner wherein the conditioned air of the exterior space conditions theair in the interior space at a nominal cost and enables existingnon-conditioned buildings to be in a competitive situation with respectto similar new air conditioned structures.

While I have described preferred embodiments of this invention, it willbe understood the invention is not limited thereto since it may beotherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an air conditioning system for a multi-room building structure,the combination of a first area to be conditioned, a second area to beconditioned, means defining a passage between the first and secondareas, asupplemental air conditioning unit in said passage, meansdefining a secondpassage between said areas, means to supply primary airto said first and second passages, nozzle means operatively associatedwith said supply means to discharge primary air in said first passage ina predetermined direction thereby inducing a stream of secondary airfrom the second area into the passage through said supplemental unit tomix with the primary air, the mixture being discharged in said firstarea, and second nozzle means operatively associated with said supplymeans to discharge primary air in said second passage in a predetermineddirection thereby inducing a stream of tertiary air from the first areainto the second passage to mix therewith, the mixture being dischargedin said second area. 7

2. In an air conditioning system, a plurality of rooms, a plurality ofunits, each unit discharging into two rooms, a conduit extending betweenand through at least a pair of said units, at least one of said unitscomprising a first passage and a second passage, each extending betweenthe first and second rooms, a first and second set of nozzles attachedto said conduit, a source of primary air connected to said conduit, asupplemental conditioning unit in the first passage said first set ofnozzles extending into the first passage to induce air from thesecondroom through said supplemental unit into the first room, said second setof nozzles extending into the second passage to induce air from thefirst room to the second room.

3. In an air conditioning unit for use in multi-room buildingstructures, the combination of a casing forming a first air passage anda second air passage, a supplemental conditioning unit in said firstpassage, a plenum member in said casing adapted to be connected to asource of primary air, nozzle means connected to said plenum todischarge primary air in said first passage in a predetermined directionto induce secondary air into the passage from a first area being treatedand through said supplemental unit for admixture with the dischargeprimary air, and second nozzle means connected to said plenum todischarge primary air in said second passage a predetermined directionto induce tertiary air into the passage from a second area being treatedfor admixture with the discharged primary air.

4. An air conditioning unit according to claim 3 in which thesupplemental conditioning unit comprises a heat exchange member locatedin said first air passage.

5. An air conditioning unit according to claim 4 in which the heatexchange member has a circuit therein through which is conductedconditioning medium, said flow of conditioning medium being maderesponsive to a condition of 'air passing through the second air passageof the unit.

6. In a method of air conditioning, the stepswhich consist indischarging a stream of primary air to induce a stream of secondary airfrom'an area being conditioned, placing the secondary air in heatexchange relation with conditioning medium, mixing the streams of airand discharging the mixture into a second area being conditioned;discharging a second stream of primary air to induce a stream oftertiary air from the second area being conditioned, mixing the streamsof air and discharging themixture into the first area being conditioned.

7. In a method of air conditioning two spaces at different temperaturesin which air is passed from a first space to 'a second space, and from asecond space to a first space, the steps which consist of passing airfrom the second space into heat exchange relation with a conditioningmedium, controlling said heat exchange relation in response to thecondition of air passing from the first to the second space, mixing airfrom said heat exchange process with air from a primary source ofconditioned air, and then passing the stream of air into the first spaceto comfort condition said space, passing air from said first space,mixing said air so drawn from said first space with primary conditionedair, and then passing said air into the second space to comfortcondition said second space.

8. In an air conditioning system for a multi-room building structure,the combination of a first area to be conditioned, a second area to beconditioned, means defining a passage between the first and secondareas, means defining a second passage between said areas, means tosupply primary air to said first and second passages, nozzle meansoperatively associated with said supply means to discharge primary airin said first passage in a predetermined direction thereby inducing astream of secondary air from the second area into the passage to mixtherewith, the mixture being discharged in said first area, secondnozzle means operatively associated with said supply means to dischargeprimary air in said second passage in a predetermined direction therebyinducing a stream of tertiary air from the first area into the secondpassage to mix therewith, the mixture being discharged in said secondarea, a heat exchange member placed in the first passage, and means topass a conditioning medium through said member in heat exchange relationwith secondary air induced into the first passage.

9. An air conditioning system according to claim '8 in which means areprovided to regulate passage of conditioning medium through the heatexchange member responsive to a condition of tertiary air entering thesecond passage.

10. In an air conditioning system, a plurality of rooms, a plurality ofunits, each unit discharging into two rooms, a conduit extending betweenand through at least a pair of said units, at least one of said unitscomprising a 'first passage and a second passage, each extending betweenthe first and second rooms, a first and second set of nozzles attachedto said conduit, a source of primary air connected to said conduit, saidfirst 'set of nozzles extending into the first passage to induce airfrom the second room into the first room, said second set of nozzlesextending into the second passage to induce air from the first room tothe second room and a heat exchange member placed in the path of airpassing through the first passage, said heat exchange member beingcontrolled by the condition of air passing through said second passage.

11. An air conditioning system according to claim 10 in which a heatexchange member having a circuit therein for heat exchange medium isplaced in the path of the air in the first passage, said flow of heatexchange medium being responsive to a condition of air in the secondpassage.

12. In an air conditioning system, a first room, a second room, a heatexchanger having a heat conditioning fluid,

References Cited in the file-of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,393,086 Carrier Oct. 11, 1921 2,327,664 Otis Aug. 24, 1943 2,363,294 7Carrier Nov. 21, 1944 2,758,822 Sauter Aug. 14, 1956 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,032,323 May 1, 1962Richard A. Church Column 5, line 21, for "is" read it line 53, for "or"read for Signed and sealed this 2nd day of October 1962.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST w. SWIDER DAVID LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

